Hi, I'm Neil, in this video we will show you how to modify
your REEFER sump to fit your ReefMat roller filter.
We will do this by removing the filter sock section
with the help of the Red Sea Sump Modification kit.
Before you install,
first check the ReefMat installation guide on our website
showing which sump modification is required
for each model, if any.
If you are not in to DIY,
you may want to get someone to help you,
but like most DIY jobs,
they are much easier if you have the right tools
and know how to use them.
Removing the glass and plastic components
from the sump requires cutting through a layer of silicone
that is less than 0.2 mm / 0.008" thick.
Regular utility knife blades are almost 3 times thicker
than the silicone layer,
which is why they are inappropriate for the job.
The Red Sea Sump Modification tool kit
includes some specially manufactured blades
that are extremely thin,
however, they are extremely flexible
and therefore it requires learning the correct technique
to work with them.
Also, any heavy-duty blade handles that you may have
will not suitable for use with these thin blades,
as they will not support them properly
and their bulkiness is a disadvantage.
The modification process should take about 15 minutes,
and can be done without draining the sump
or removing it from the cabinet.
For the purpose of this demonstration,
we will use a dry sump on a table,
so you can see more clearly what needs to be done.
Now let’s have a quick look at what’s in the kit:
Firstly, a utility blade handle with a regular snap-off blade,
which is used to remove the silicone bead
that is outside the join between the parts.
we have 0.1 mm & 0.15 mm blades
that are used for slicing through the silicone.
These blades do not have sharpened edges
but they should be treated as if they do,
so be careful.
And finally, we have a small scraper, which is sharp,
to remove any silicone that remains attached to the glass,
and make everything neat and tidy after we’re done.
Of course, we've made sure all of these parts
are suitable for using inside saltwater.
All work tools can be dangerous,
so do not use these tools
without suitable protective gloves to protect your hands,
and eye protectors if you do not wear glasses.
Right, enough with the intro, now let’s see how it’s done.
Let's start by removing this piece at the bottom.
Wer'e going to start with the regular blade,
and remove the excess silicone.
We'll cut up one side,
and then cut the other side,
and you can pull away that litlle bit of silicone.
Also the same on the other side of the glass...
The more you remove,
the easier it is to remove the glass itself.
OK, when working with the very thin blades,
work with minimal blade extension at all times,
and always verify you lock the blade in position
so that it stays where you put it.
there are parts that you can come in from the top,
and there are others,
where you have to work your way in from the side.
When you work your way in from the side,
just press in a small amount,
release the lock on the handle,
extend the blade a little bit more,
push in again, until you penetrate the whole part, like that,
and now, you can easily slide up & down the join,
and when you cut the silicone when you're at the edge,
make sure you don't cut into the join in the corner.
You do exactly the same thing again
when you are working on the bottom.
You just press in a little bit,
release the blade a bit, lock it,
we do a little bit, and push through until we get through.
Now we just slide from one side to the other.
Sometimes it's easier halfway through to change sides.
You just push the blade through,
and work it slowly until you get to the end,
just like that.
now to complete this particular part
we need to come on the third side where it's connected.
That just slides down easily,
and that complete piece of glass can easily be removed
from the sump.
Okay, now that we've moved that plot,
we can just remove all of this,
Just slide down to get rid of the last bits of silicon.
And there we have the first 2 parts removed.
This blade has got a little bit bent
so it'll be easier to work if I cut off that tip,
and give myself a new point.
Now we're going to remove the black plastic parts
from the top.
Pay attention - you do not need to remove
these thin pieces of glass,
these thin glass strips, they can stay where they are.
So again, we can come in from the top...
and from over here... and just slide across.
You can push it through a bit more
make sure it's done.
Same thing on the other side.
This one's a bit trickier because you've got the rail on top.
As I showed before, you start with a small amount out,
and then you can slide easily all the way from side to side.
Coming from the front , just to release the last little bit...
The next one i'll try to come in from the front & side...
That went nice & easily the whole way along.
Now i should be able to just lift up this whole piece.
And there we go, it all comes away nicely.
We're now going to move remove the center piece here.
I've changed over to the slightly thicker blade
so we can extend it a little bit more, works just as well.
Coming in from the top...
Now we can slide all the way down to the bottom.
That piece will now move from side to side.
We can just slide again...
and easily...
release this piece completely.
Done.
Now we're going to remove this piece.
We'll go from top to bottom
This side... that just slides easily all the way down.
Same thing on the other side.
Coming from the top...
Careful at the bottom there because that's the seal,
we don't want to damage it.
And now this can move.
Just come in from the bottom.
We've done it.
The last part of the process is to take our little scraper
and we can now nicely get rid of all of the excess silicon
that we don't want to have left in the sump.
so, as you can see, we have completed the modification
and the sump is now ReefMat-ready.
Notice we've left the front & back rails
and other little parts, since they don't prevent you
from installing the ReefMat,
and allow you to keep using the reservoir, if you wish.
Please note, this modification process does not void
your system warranty,
however, any damage incurred to the sump
during the process is at your own responsibility.
So work slowly, and most importantly, be careful.
Thanks for watching, and happy reefkeeping.